All posts tagged Slums

A nonfiction book about the inhabitants of a Mumbai slum may seem like an unlikely subject for a play at the Olivier, a stage at London’s National Theatre famous for its productions of Shakespeare.

But the director of “Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” based on Katherine Boo’s searing account of slum life in India’s financial capital, says the play’s themes are likely to resonate with theater audiences around the world. Read More »

In his book titled “Boombay: From Precincts to Sprawl”, architect Kamu Iyer chronicles in words, black and white photographs and sketches how the island city of Bombay ate into the mainland and rapidly turned into India’s vibrant but increasingly stratified economic powerhouse. Read More »

Everything gets soaked when the monsoon arrives in Mumbai and every year the poor neighborhoods are the worst hit. The Wall Street Journal visited Ganesh Murti Nagar, a typical slum in south Mumbai, to ask residents how they cope with the yearly tsunami. Read More »

Abdul Shakeel, who works with the Housing and Land Rights Network, told The Wall Street Journal that the reprieve given to residents of a condemned upscale complex in Mumbai is a far cry from the situation faced by the less well-off. Read More »

In this summer’s blockbuster superhero movie The Avengers, Dr. Bruce Banner, the genius physicist who becomes the Hulk, moves to Kolkata to work with lepers in a bid to find peace and calm. “For a man avoiding stress you picked a helluva place to settle,” says the Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, who is seeking Dr. Banner’s help to save the world.

Modern Kolkata’s portrayal in popular culture has always been less than flattering. Read More »

I have two numbers saved on my phone that I should use more often. The first is a 24-hour toll free number you can dial if you see a street child in distress, the second is for an activist who will come and rescue hurt or injured animals. If you live in Mumbai or any big city, you’re likely to come across both categories pretty much every day.

Homeless children are by their nature hard to define, a floating population that comprises children living on the street, most often with their families, and those making a living off the street, hawking, peddling or begging. Read More »

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